CIOA Centennial Gala, 2026

On May 28, 2026, the China Institute of America, the oldest nonprofit organization in the US dedicated exclusively to Chinese culture, celebrated its 100th anniversary with the Centennial Gala in New York under the theme “100 Years of Bridging Cultures.” As one of the most influential institutions in the history of US–China cultural exchange, the China Institute has spent the past century fostering mutual understanding and educational collaboration between the two countries. The landmark celebration brought together distinguished guests from the worlds of culture, art, business, and philanthropy to commemorate this historic milestone.

Yue- Sai Kan, CIOA Centennial Gala, 2026

A highlight of the evening was the charity auction, which drew enthusiastic participation from collectors, entrepreneurs, and cultural leaders, all contributing to the Institute’s future educational and cultural initiatives. Amid spirited bidding, Chinese artist BAISHUI’s work Infinite Dao · Water Town 17 ultimately sold for $20,000 and was acquired by Yue-Sai Kan, Centennial Gala Chair and one of the most influential cultural ambassadors connecting China and the US.

BAISHUI, Infinite Dao. Water Town 17, 2023, CIOA Centennial Gala

BAISHUI, Infinite Dao. Water Town 17, 2023

Created in 2023, Infinite Dao · Water Town 17 measures 100 × 160 cm and is executed in acrylic and mixed media on canvas. Over the years, BAISHUI has developed an artistic practice centered on the relationship between artificial intelligence and contemporary art, gradually establishing what she calls the AI Intuitive Reconstructive Method. Beginning with perception and intuition, the process moves through algorithms, structures, and generative systems before returning to the artist’s own judgment and material translation, creating a continuous dialogue between digital generation and physical realization.

The Infinite Dao · Water Town series exemplifies BAISHUI’s exploration of the relationship between Eastern cultural traditions and the visual language of the AI era. Rather than directly depicting traditional Chinese water towns, the works transform concepts such as water, Dao, and flow into evolving visual structures through a combination of AI generation and artistic intervention. In doing so, they establish new connections between traditional modes of viewing Chinese landscape imagery and contemporary forms of digital perception.

Artist BAISHUI at work

Artist BAISHUI at work

The presentation and successful sale of the work at the China Institute’s Centennial Gala reflects growing international interest in new forms of contemporary Chinese artistic practice, while also demonstrating the potential of art in the age of artificial intelligence to foster dialogue across cultures. Under the Institute’s centennial theme of “Bridging Cultures,” BAISHUI’s work responds to Eastern philosophical traditions through a contemporary technological language, offering a new perspective on cultural exchange between China and the US.

From helping facilitate Mei Lanfang’s historic US tour in 1930 to supporting contemporary artistic voices in the age of artificial intelligence, the China Institute of America has spent a century building bridges between cultures. The appearance and acquisition of Infinite Dao · Water Town 17 at the Centennial Gala serves as a contemporary chapter in this ongoing story of cultural exchange – demonstrating how art continues to transcend language, geography, and time, creating new possibilities for understanding and imagination across borders.